2018-2019 Application Thread

[eggsalad14]

9 minutes ago, Theory007 said:

My advise to FL407 is based on the assumptions that he 1. has a funding offer hand and 2. that none of the remaining schools compare in ranking and quality to UNC making it unlikely that UNC will add to its offer.

Funding specifically won't come for a couple weeks. Vanderbilt is about equivalently ranked with UNC (especially for an Americanist) but gives about 10k more per year in funding. Only they can make the decision, but I think it makes sense to wait until they have more information. 

[trinityshot]

As a general statement Re: withdrawing from schools, I don't think it's fair to be pressuring others into doing so because of "others on the waitlist." People don't have a responsibility to those on the waitlist. Applications cost a lot of money, and people are entitled to a decision from the schools to which they applied. There are people on the waitlist every year, and others get accepted, and that's just how it is. Trying to guilt others into withdrawing applications on behalf of people they don't know is, well, selfish in my opinion.

Also, rushing into a decision is almost always the wrong way to go. Patience, as they say, is a virtue - it can't hurt to wait to see all your options laid out.

This process isn't easy, especially if you've been allowed the privilege to agonize on the waitlist for the next couple months. But people should be able to make their decisions without feeling guilty for not withdrawing.

[Theory007]

Just now, trinityshot said:

As a general statement Re: withdrawing from schools, I don't think it's fair to be pressuring others into doing so because of "others on the waitlist." People don't have a responsibility to those on the waitlist. Applications cost a lot of money, and people are entitled to a decision from the schools to which they applied. There are people on the waitlist every year, and others get accepted, and that's just how it is. Trying to guilt others into withdrawing applications on behalf of people they don't know is, well, selfish in my opinion.

 Also, rushing into a decision is almost always the wrong way to go. Patience, as they say, is a virtue - it can't hurt to wait to see all your options laid out.

This process isn't easy, especially if you've been allowed the privilege to agonize on the waitlist for the next couple months. But people should be able to make their decisions without feeling guilty for not withdrawing.

Well, I disagree with you. I am not pressuring or guilting anyone into anything, but simply encouraging a very worthy UNC admit to chose the best option available to him (it is clear that he agrees that UNC is the best option by reading his original post). The post that I linked to my original post explains the upside of withdrawing, and I clearly made my suggestion in good faith (while celebrating his acceptance) because I feel it is the respectable thing to do (and the admit appears to agree with this).

[humanpinata]

16 minutes ago, Theory007 said:

Well, I disagree with you. I am not pressuring or guilting anyone into anything, but simply encouraging a very worthy UNC admit to chose the best option available to him (it is clear that he agrees that UNC is the best option by reading his original post). The post that I linked to my original post explains the upside of withdrawing, and I clearly made my suggestion in good faith (while celebrating his acceptance) because I feel it is the respectable thing to do (and the admit appears to agree with this).

Loving the assumption that the accepted applicant is a male.

Either way, @trinityshot is right. Applications are expensive, and if the admit liked the other schools enough to drop that much cash for an application and spent a significant amount of time working on them, why withdraw them? Being on the waitlist sucks, but it's not fair to frankly more qualifed applicants to ask them to throw away time and money to better  the chances for less qualified applicants. It's a painful truth in a competitive field, and that's just the way it is.

[Theory007]

4 minutes ago, humanpinata said:

Loving the assumption that the accepted applicant is a male.

Either way, @trinityshot is right. Applications are expensive, and if the admit liked the other schools enough to drop that much cash for an application and spent a significant amount of time working on them, why withdraw them? Being on the waitlist sucks, but it's not fair to frankly more qualifed applicants to ask them to throw away time and money to better  the chances for less qualified applicants. It's a painful truth in a competitive field, and that's just the way it is.

You are assuming that when I use the words he or him that I am referring to a male.

[FL407]

2 hours ago, sherlock holmes/M said:

Congratulations- did you get the offer after an interview? 

No interview was necessary.  I received a long, personalized email from a member in the department congratulating me with a few mentions from details of my packet.  They did offer to set-up a phone call to chat further but did not make it seem like my acceptance was contingent upon it.

[FL407]

Lets not get into a tiff whether or not someone should withdrawal applications or not as it is an individuals decision alone.  I will most likely withdrawal mine from some 40-60s programs I applied to, but will definitely wait out Minny, Davis, Texas, and Vandy as they are all top 25 with some scholars in pol. psych I would love to work under (Luskin at Texas). 

 

Also, I think it was safe to assume I'm a male as I stupidly have a pic with my profile (why do I still have fb anyways?)

 

This is a great community and I am so glad my mentor recommended it to me.  You guys are great and I can't wait to see how everyone else fairs!

[dante!]

Hello everybody,

I was admitted to Georgia State University but they did not provide funding yet. I am waiting for other schools to release the results.

So, my question is what I should do at this point. I responded to the email in such a way that I am very happy that you accepted me etc. However, I do not know when I should respond to the official letter, how I should ask about the funding and whether I should say that I am waiting for other schools to release the results and return accordingly.

I would be glad if you have any suggestions. Thanks in advance.

[trinityshot]

2 minutes ago, dante! said:

Hello everybody,

I was admitted to Georgia State University but they did not provide funding yet. I am waiting for other schools to release the results.

So, my question is what I should do at this point. I responded to the email in such a way that I am very happy that you accepted me etc. However, I do not know when I should respond to the official letter, how I should ask about the funding and whether I should say that I am waiting for other schools to release the results and return accordingly.

I would be glad if you have any suggestions. Thanks in advance.

Funding info will come. If by "respond to the official letter" you mean accept their invitation to attend, then you should wait until you've heard from all the schools to which you've applied. For now I would just wait, I think, but I also don't know your exact situation.

[Pancho Villa]

1 hour ago, trinityshot said:

As a general statement Re: withdrawing from schools, I don't think it's fair to be pressuring others into doing so because of "others on the waitlist." People don't have a responsibility to those on the waitlist. Applications cost a lot of money, and people are entitled to a decision from the schools to which they applied. There are people on the waitlist every year, and others get accepted, and that's just how it is. Trying to guilt others into withdrawing applications on behalf of people they don't know is, well, selfish in my opinion.

Also, rushing into a decision is almost always the wrong way to go. Patience, as they say, is a virtue - it can't hurt to wait to see all your options laid out.

This process isn't easy, especially if you've been allowed the privilege to agonize on the waitlist for the next couple months. But people should be able to make their decisions without feeling guilty for not withdrawing.

I agree nobody should be pressured into withdrawing an application, and certainly it would rarely make sense to withdraw an application to a place that competes with the current preferred acceptance, whether in terms of rank, $, etc. I say "rarely" because there are situations in which withdrawing an application could have highly tangible benefits, and these might be comparable, or greater, in value to a candidate than either leveraging a new offer or gaining the satisfaction of seeing the application play out with a decision. The problem is that these possible benefits are often not known in advance. This was true for me, but my risk was very low. In my case (which I discuss in the post that someone linked earlier), I knew I wasn't going to prefer the schools from which I withdrew (one where I had already been admitted, one where my app was still pending). I also knew that the potential stipend from the pending school was very unlikely to be competitive with two offers I already had. My advisor suggested withdrawing my applications was thus reasonable (in his mind also advisable), and I agreed. But I place little value on learning the decision of a non-preferred school, whereas someone else might place a high value on this (despite the risk that the decision will be a rejection, while the prevailing assumption would be that the withdrawn application would surely be an admit). As an unexpected bonus, many benefits have accrued from my decision to do what some people are viewing as altruistic (i.e., I have received very positive attention from the DGS at each school - including an offer of coffee at MPSA with one - and other applicants and wait-listers appear to be grateful). My post was meant not to shame anyone but to call attention to an alternative accounting that some people might overlook when deciding whether to withdraw an application (or to decline a visit). As a side note, it seems like those with many early high-ranking admits and strong prospects are most bothered by the suggestion that withdrawing an application COULD BE beneficial for all, while those who are feeling more anxious about their prospects seem to appreciate the sentiment. This makes absolute sense, but I would argue that those with existing strong acceptances should be cautious about rejecting the idea outright and might instead consider altering their calculus ever so slightly. In essence, I am submitting that $75 dollars "wasted" on an application might not compare to the possible (tangible) benefits that could emerge from withdrawing an application. I should have been more clear in my original post. I had no idea this would become such a heated topic. Best of luck to all! 

[eggsalad14]

Got a Duke decision, complete with financial aid 

[olieb0llen]

8 minutes ago, eggsalad14 said:

Got a Duke decision, complete with financial aid 

Congratulations! That must be really dope. What is your subfield?

[trinityshot]

Same here, accepted at Duke, also with financial aid.

[peggy.olson]

Those who just got accepted at Duke - did you just get an email to check the OneLink? I got the email but its saying "decision not ready" and im thinking its a rejection lol

[eggsalad14]

Just now, peggy.olson said:

Those who just got accepted at Duke - did you just get an email to check the OneLink? I got the email but its saying "decision not ready" and im thinking its a rejection lol

Yeah, really nondescriptive email made me nervous 

[trinityshot]

1 minute ago, eggsalad14 said:

Yeah, really nondescriptive email made me nervous 

Yep same situation lol

[dot1325]

3 minutes ago, peggy.olson said:

Those who just got accepted at Duke - did you just get an email to check the OneLink? I got the email but its saying "decision not ready" and im thinking its a rejection lol

Yeah! Totally assumed it would be a rejection, but it was an acceptance! The best surprise! 

[peggy.olson]

Omg!!!! It appeared and I'm in with full funding! Cant believe it!!! First decision of the year and Im pumped! I'm IR, btw

[eggsalad14]

Congrats to everyone in! Can I ask everyone that got in if they got similar funding? My package says approx 94k. I've heard they sometimes give more so if you're one of them extra congrats! 

[eggsalad14]

20 minutes ago, olieb0llen said:

Congratulations! That must be really dope. What is your subfield?

According to Duke fields, behavior+identities and methods 

[peggy.olson]

1 minute ago, eggsalad14 said:

Congrats to everyone in! Can I ask everyone that got in if they got similar funding? My package says approx 94k. I've heard they sometimes give more so if you're one of them extra congrats! 

Yes, around 94k! The stipend is ~24,000

[eggsalad14]

Just now, peggy.olson said:

Yes, around 94k! The stipend is ~24,000

94k sounds so big until you realize tuition is 60k and fees are large too haha. It's a great package for Durham though. 

[peggy.olson]

1 minute ago, eggsalad14 said:

94k sounds so big until you realize tuition is 60k and fees are large too haha. It's a great package for Durham though. 

Lol, right? I also just realized about the summer stipend, though, so total comes to ~30,000?

[eggsalad14]

Just now, peggy.olson said:

Lol, right? I also just realized about the summer stipend, though, so total comes to ~30,000?

Yeah, I don't think the summer stipend is guaranteed all years though (which is probably fair, because a couple years in you can probably pick up some paid work) 

[IR1221]

Can everyone who got into Duke (congrats!!) post their subfield?